Ho-Ho-Kus
AMERICAN SUMMER
MICHAEL GRAY’S FAMILY FILM
IGNITING CREATIVITY
HAVE A DAY CANDLES
Serving Through Faith
Richard Bierwas
Editor’s Note
Columnist and author Bill Vaughan said: “An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”
Which were you this year?
2025 and each new spin around the sun comes with the hope that new beginnings tend to bring (as arbitrary as those new beginnings might seem). And while I’ve shied away from making sweeping resolutions (shockingly, they just didn’t seem to stick), I must admit there’s something exhilarating about the moment that ball drops.
The turn of the calendar page symbolizes a renewal, where a fresh perspective and unknown opportunities await.
Another quote I came across when considering the meaning of a new year is attributed to writer C.S. Lewis: “You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.”
The subjects of our feature stories this month all share a common thread of chasing after a dream, ambition or calling.
Melissa Pansy found her world turned upside-down when she first moved to Ho-Ho-Kus from Hoboken amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
She had left her longtime career as a college recruiter and was home full-time with her three children as the family adjusted to life in the ‘burbs. A pull to be creative and productive led her to launch her successful business, Have a Day Candles & Home Fragrance, which she operates out of her Ho-Ho-Kus kitchen.
Writer, director and producer Michael Gray had the idea for his coming-of-age comedy “American Summer” long before he saw it come to fruition. He knew he had something special with the script and kept pushing. He’s now in the process of editing the family film that features big names like Christie Brinkley, Steve Guttenberg, Mia Talerico and Dan Lauria.
And longtime community pastor and fire department chaplain Richard Bierwas chose not to ignore a calling decades ago that sparked a career change from mortgage appraiser to minister. After 20 years as the calm, steady leader of the Ho-Ho-Kus Community Church, he’s steering the congregation through an exciting chapter as they merge with the Upper Ridgewood Community Church under their new name: the Sycamore Community Church.
The subjects of our Local Tastes and Q&A sections also took leaps of faith into new ventures where they’ve found great meaning and success. We hope you enjoy reading about their experiences.
Thank you for your kind feedback on our first issues of Ho-Ho-Kus Magazine in 2024 and for sharing your stories and lives with us. We hope 2025 is a year that’s tough to say goodbye to for you and yours. I suppose my one resolution is to be a small part of helping the community connect through sharing your neighbors’ stories.
Sarah Nolan Editor editor@hohokusmagazine.com
Ho-Ho-Kus MAGAZINE
Editor Sarah Nolan
Writers
Sarah Nolan
Morgan Taylor
Photographers
Joe Nolan Adam Paray
WAINSCOT MEDIA
Chairman Carroll V. Dowden
President and CEO
Mark Dowden
VP, Group Publisher, Regional Thomas Flannery
VP, Content Strategy
Maria Regan
Creative Director Kijoo Kim
Art Director Rosemary O’Connell
Associate Editor Sophia Carlisle
Advertising Services Director Jacquelynn Fischer
Operations Director
Catherine Rosario
Production Designer
Chris Ferrante
Print Production Manager
Fern Meshulam
Advertising Production Associate Griff Dowden
Ho-Ho-Kus Magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Ho-Ho-Kus, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2025 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
PHOTOGRAPH BY JOE NOLAN
Helping Out Ho-Ho-Kus
Ho-Ho-Kus offers plenty of opportunities to keep busy and help support the community, whether you’re looking for somewhere to bring your tot and make friends or hoping to volunteer your time or resources to a good cause.
TODDLER IMAGINATIVE PLAY
Worth-Pinkham Memorial Library hosts Toddler Imaginative Play on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Imaginative play fosters creativity and problem-solving. Children will enhance their social skills, empathy and language in our stimulating environment. This is a great opportunity for toddlers to engage with peers and caregivers to connect with each other. Upcoming dates include Jan. 17, 24 and 31. Visit hohokuslibrary.org to register.
The Ho-Ho-Kus Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for students in our community. Since our founding in 1992, the Foundation has awarded over $1.5 million in grants. Our mission is to foster excellence in the classroom for all learners, engage the mind, instill confidence, and further open the door of possibility. The Foundation provides grants for advanced learning tools and resources and raises funding for projects like Ho-Ho-Kus School’s newly installed playground and the STEAM lab.
Your support makes all the difference. Here’s how you can help:
• Donate. Every dollar goes toward enriching our students’ education. The annual gala, coming up on Friday, March 28, will include a silent and live auction. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
• Attend events. Join as at the gala, Richard’s Run, Ladies Night and Men’s Night.
Visit us at hhkef.org or email hhkedfoundation@gmail.com to learn more.
JOIN THE HO-HO-KUS VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE CORPS
If you are considering a career in the medical field, joining our program is an excellent first step! We guide you through the process of becoming an EMT at your own pace. To enroll in the EMS program, you must be at least 16 years old. We partner with the Bergen County EMS Training Center, which offers classes three times a year, as well as the Less Stress Training Center, which hosts classes every two months.
We will work with you to review your schedule and availability, ensuring that you find a class that fits your needs. To enroll, you will need to obtain your BLS CPR certification, which we provide onsite. Once you receive your CPR certification, you will have the opportunity to ride as an observer to gain practical knowledge of the field and equipment while waiting for your class to begin.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss your journey toward becoming an EMT, please contact hohokusambulance@gmail.com.
As Mom-and-Pop
As It Gets
One of the longest running businesses in town, Garbo’s Italian Deli & Pizza has built its foundation on a love of good food and family. Owners Ernie and Janet Garbaccio say relationships with customers have helped make the shop their home away from home.
BY SARAH NOLAN
After 36 years of business in downtown Ho-Ho-Kus, Garbo’s Italian Deli & Pizza owners Janet and Ernie Garbaccio say the key to their success and what sets them apart is sticking to their roots: a love of food and family.
“We haven’t changed!” Ernie said. “We keep everything the same.”
Janet added: “We’re as momand-pop as you can get.”
As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
For decades, residents have returned time and again to the unpretentious shop on Sheridan
Avenue. They come for classic Italian pasta dishes, like baked ziti, lasagna and eggplant rollatini or chicken specialties like chicken francese or chicken parm.
Then there’s the endless deli combinations (the Garbo Combo, featuring ham, prosciuttini, capocollo, salami and provolone is not to be missed) and pizza. Recent hits include a corn salad, with a rainbow of fresh, raw veggies, along with the popular escarole and beans, a classic dish that’s having a moment.
“I like to eat,” Ernie said. “And if you like to eat, you gotta learn how
to cook.”
The chef picked up things here and there from his grandmother but is self-taught. He prepares all of the fresh food at the deli.
Prior to opening Garbo’s, Ernie and his father owned a trucking and warehouse company that delivered elevators. Janet worked in retail.
The pair (along with Ernie’s brother, who was briefly involved in the business and has since passed) decided to venture into the food industry, opening the deli on June 1, 1988.
Since then, they’ve worked sideby-side, day after day, never seeming
to tire of each other. Janet says they each have their territory—Ernie is in the back cooking while she runs the front of the shop. Still, when they head home, they continue to do everything together, from watching television to grocery shopping.
The couple, married 46 years, share two adult children, son Nico and daughter Ariana, both of whom grew up working at Garbo’s (they each have a sandwich named after them) and now live in Hoboken. Nico and his wife Taylor recently welcomed a son, River Jude. Ernie said the happy baby is “their joy.”
As time has gone on, Janet said many of their customers have become like family as well. Garbo’s has been part
of people’s weekly routines and seen generations of customers celebrate milestones. These relationships have been formed not only over a shared love of food, but through friendship, good conversation, laughter, faith and everything in between.
“The people that walk through these doors day in and day out will always be extensions of our little family, which has expanded infinitely over three decades thanks to our customers and the community,” the Garbaccios say on their website. “You’ve helped make this place our home away from home.”
For more about Garbo’s, visit garbositaliandeli.com and the deli’s Instagram page, @garbositaliandeli.
Clockwise from top left: Garbo’s antipasto salad. The deli’s fettucine. Ernie and Janet Garbaccio along with their children, Ariana and Nico and daughter-in-law Taylor. They were honored by the borough this past summer for celebrating 36 years in town. The famous Garbo Combo. Garbo’s tomato and mozzarella salad. Bottom: Janet with Garbo’s Pizzagaina, or Easter Pie.
Igniting Creativity
Melissa Pansy’s Have a Day Candles & Home Fragrance creates clean, delightfully aromatic products. The small business has sparked joy for the resident after a tumultuous time, allowing her to have fun, experiment and connect with the community and her family.
BY SARAH NOLAN
Melissa Pansy gets to be a bit of a mad scientist in her semi-new venture as a candlemaker. By morning, she uses her kitchen like any mother might: to prep breakfasts and lunches for her three children. But once she shuffles the kids off to school, the counters are cleared, and the experiment begins.
The goal is to create fragrant, clean candles that fill your home with scents that will delight, not overwhelm, the senses. And if her clients are to be believed, Pansy is meeting her objective with her small business, Have a Day Candles & Home Fragrance, while feeling fulfilled in a trade that allows her to have fun and be creative.
Scents have always been a big part of Pansy’s life. Whether it be diffusers,
perfume, or candles, she said she just appreciates things smelling nice. But it wasn’t until a shift in her world ignited her to reflect on next steps that this personal passion became a professional one.
Pansy, a Pearl River native, and her husband, originally from Upper Saddle River, had made Hoboken home since graduating from college. They knew it wouldn’t be permanent, but the pandemic sped up their search for a home in the ‘burbs for their family of five.
“We had three kids, two bedrooms, two fulltime working parents and somebody wasn’t making it out alive,” Pansy said. “It was really tricky.”
Trickier still was adjusting to life in Ho-Ho-Kus, a very small town so different
than what the family was used to. Even more disorienting, Pansy had left her longtime career as a campus recruiter, quitting the day before they closed on their new home.
“It all came to a halt,” Pansy said. “My kids became my world, which was fantastic, and I loved every minute of it, but at some point, you begin to ask yourself: What’s my purpose? What’s my next chapter?”
Pansy did some soul searching and took a look around. What she saw was an abundance of candles. She loved them but realized that while big box stores offer a plethora of options, whether they’re different colors, scents or designs, the candles weren’t made of the best materials.
“Many times you’ll find that candles from
stores at the mall can induce headaches or have big black soot coming from them—all of that is different types of chemicals and materials used to give them a longer shelf life or cut costs,” Pansy said. “I wanted to explore creating candles myself and how to do it better and cleaner.”
Pansy found a candle making kit online and used it to make her first batch. She handed them out at the family’s annual St. Patrick’s Day party in 2022 and got positive feedback. She knew she was onto something.
From then on, she felt like a college student herself. She took online classes and seminars, attended workshops and explored the internet for tips and knowledge. By the fall, she was ready to launch her first Ho-Ho-Kus Pocus set of candles.
Pansy finds vendors that provide clean, non-toxic products; then she orders “a million” scents to try in her home kitchen/ lab to create Have a Day’s products.
“It’s a lot of trial and error—I’m all about testing and figuring out what works and what
doesn’t,” she said. “Some fragrances don’t smell as strong as others; some smell one way in the jar but differently in the candle.”
Pansy said she likes strong candles that fill a room with a pleasant aroma. But there’s a difference between strong “oh it smells so good in here” and strong “I have to get out of here, it’s too overpowering,” Pansy said.
“It’s those chemicals that produce that feeling—the stronger the candles, the cleaner the ingredients need to be,” she said. Different wicks, containers and types of wax also play a role in the experiment.
Pansy, also an aide at the Ho-Ho-Kus Waldwick Cooperative Nursery School, said she typically works from morning into the night on her days off. Materials including a huge wax melter, scale and jars take over the kitchen.
She lets the fragrance take the lead in her products, with a muted, neutral aesthetic for vessels that can blend in anywhere.
“I just want it to smell good, and for that to be at the forefront, not necessarily
some jazzy, flashy candle vessel, unless there is a specific need for a client that wants something different,” Pansy said.
In addition to fulfilling her creative side and a desire to do something fun but productive, Pansy says Have a Day has been a great way to meet people and network through the community.
“It’s fun when I introduce myself to people and they say ‘Oh you’re the one that makes the candles.’ That’s happened a few times and I’m happy to be known as that,” she said. “There’s been a great outpouring of support from other small business owners and just those that want to help get the word out.”
Pansy said her business has grown exponentially thanks to word of mouth. She recently created candles for Ho-Ho-Kus School’s holiday shop (the sweet-smelling candle was dubbed Ice Cream Fridays in honor of the special weekly event). Other big projects include gifts for staff members at a meeting held by fashion giant Michael Kors (a Ho-Ho-Kus resident serves as president
Clockwise from top left: Pansy prepares candles for wax in her home kitchen. A large wax melter at work. Have a Day’s Ho-Ho-Kus for the Holidays candle.
of North American retail at the company and wanted to support a local business) and holiday gifts for clients of local real estate team Fox & Stokes.
Max Stokes, a Fox & Stokes partner, said Pansy made the holiday gifting process seamless and went above and beyond to create meaningful gifts that were customized for their clients.
“It was evident that our clients enjoyed their candles, as we received an outpouring of compliments and gratitude,” he said. “Melissa’s care and commitment, paired with her quality products, makes her a joy to work with and we look forward to working with her again.”
Pansy said there’s been a lot of opportunities to create custom candles. She sells her products via her website but would love the opportunity to open up a small storefront one day, where she might sell her candles, have some classes and share space with other local vendors.
“There are more people that are like me
that have little mom-and-pop stuff out of their home, I’m sure,” she said.
“If there was a way to have a little storefront that showcases all of the local artisans, that would be my dream.”
And while Have a Day has brought many connections into Pansy’s life, none are more important than those with her children and sharing her creative side with them.
Son Declan, 13, and twins Killian and Quinn, 9, have a front row seat to their mom’s process and success and have been cheering her on (and offering their honest opinions) from the start.
Daughter Quinn even has her own collection of candles. Pansy said one day she was sorting through her daughter’s backpack and discovered Post-it notes with positive affirmations written on them for herself and friends.
“I was flooded with various emotions, but above all, I felt a surge of pride,” Pansy said. “Witnessing her burgeoning self-confidence alongside her empathy towards others filled
me with joy and admiration.”
Pansy thought: What an uplifting thing to put on a candle.
“There’s nothing more peaceful than lighting a candle and kind of retreating and being in your own presence,” Pansy said.
Pansy’s kids also helped her choose a name for the company. When brainstorming ideas, Pansy asked them what’s something she says to them each and every day. Declan replied: “Have a good day!”
But, Pansy thought, every day can’t be a good day.
“You can have a good day, you can have a bad day, but just feel it, be in it, have those emotions and ride the roller coaster,” she said. “It’s OK to feel all those feels and people aren’t alone in what they’re feeling and experiencing. That’s the bigger message behind my candles: be here, be present.”
For more about Pansy and Have a Day Candles & Home Fragrance, visit haveadaycandles.com or on Instagram at @have_a_day_candles.
Left: Pansy with her family, husband Mark, and children Declan, Killian and Quinn. Above: A candle from Pansy’s daughter’s collection.
A True Family Film
Writer, director and producer Michael Gray’s “American Summer” is a nostalgic coming-of-age story that appeals to audiences both young and old. The comedy harkens back to the simple joys of friendship, love and community.
BY SARAH NOLAN
From time to time, Michael Gray’s parents would swing by his Ho-Ho-Kus home on Lloyd Road to pick up their four grandchildren and take them to lunch and a movie. Upon returning, Gray would ask his dad: “How was the movie?” He recalls getting a less than enthusiastic response: “Eh, it was OK. The kids liked it.”
It was exceedingly rare or perhaps unheard of, Gray felt, to take kids to a film that the accompanying adults also truly enjoyed. He thought: “Challenge accepted. I’ll write it.”
And so, after years of work and
perseverance, “American Summer” was born. It’s a coming-of-age comedy that captures the carefree days of being a kid in summer—downtime with friends, first crushes and of course, America’s favorite pastime: baseball.
“It’s a timeless, nostalgic movie,” Gray said. “Bringing families to the cinema, sharing that time away from life, stress, devices and reality is what ‘American summer’ is meant to do.”
The plot centers around 14-year-old Mikey, played by Logan Gray, whose attention is split between travel baseball
team tryouts and falling hard for the slightly older Kelly, the quintessential girl next-door played by Mia Talerico (of Disney’s “Good Luck Charlie”).
In addition to navigating these typical teenage rites of passage, Mikey learns that his dad, a U.S. Army soldier, is missing overseas.
The story is told from the perspective of Mikey as an adult, played by Steve Guttenberg. Other all-star cast members include Christie Brinkley as adult Kelly, Dan Lauria of “Wonder Years” fame playing Mikey’s grandpa and former New
Michael Gray, writer, producer and director of “American Summer,” in his Ho-Ho-Kus home.
York Yankee Luis Sojo as Coach Eddie.
North Jersey viewers will likely recognize the backdrop for the film, with scenes shot in Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus and Westwood, where Gray was raised.
It was idyllic summers growing up in Bergen County that served as inspiration for the movie. Gray drew on his experiences as a preteen in the early 1980s when he recalls riding bikes down treelined streets, playing ball and yes, there was a “Kelly”—a teammate’s older sister’s friend that he was “madly in love with.”
And though the film is supposed to take place “right now,” whether you catch it this coming summer, when it’s projected to be released, or 10 years down the line, viewers will note one thing missing from the script: screens.
Gray said it’s sad to see kids spending time together and realize that, at one point or another, they’re all looking down at their phones.
“It’s not their fault; it’s our fault for allowing it to absorb into our culture,” he said. “The movie has no technology, no devices, no nothing—it’s about spending time with your friends with no boundaries, talking, laughing and joking around with no devices to interrupt you.”
From top left: Gray with “American Summer” stars Steve Guttenberg and Christie Brinkley. Gray with Dan Lauria, who plays the grandpa in “American Summer,” and Luis Sojo, who plays the coach. Gray with the “American Summer” kid ensemble.
Opportunity meets preparation Gray knew he had something special with “American Summer.” A producer for the documentary “Fightville” and films “A Birder’s Guide to Everything” and “Jamie Marks is Dead,” he wrote the first version of the comedy in 2018 (though the idea came to him in 2012).
He brought on co-writer Jennifer White to work on the screenplay, then continued making tweaks resulting in dozens of rewrites as he gained confidence as a writer.
When he finally felt it was ready, he faced a rather large hiccup in starting production: the Writers Guild of America strike in 2023.
“I’ve been producing movies a long time and sometimes you just know—you know there’s something there,” Gray said. “I kept fighting, year over year and in January 2024 I said: I have to do this. If I don’t do this, I’ll regret it forever. I fought like hell to get it together. Through persuasion,
passion and luck I wound up getting enough of the funding back in place and a great cast to be able to shoot this movie.”
Gray gushed about the cast that fell into place rather seamlessly, noting that Lauria played the role of Mikey’s grandpa with “beauty and precision.” Brinkley was the last main role to be cast and perfect for the part, Gray said, noting he was looking for a person who “exudes a smile that makes you feel special,” along with a blonde and blue-eyed beauty that was believable as an older version of Talerico.
The writer, producer and director who works under his brand Relentless Filmz, said “American Summer”brought a first for him, as he appears in the film as the baseball commissioner. He stepped into the role last minute when other plans fell through.
“I like to be behind the camera, not in front of it,” Gray said. “But my line is, ‘Family is what makes community and community is what makes country.’ It’s a
Above: Gray with the poster for “A Birder’s Guide to Everything,” which he produced. Below: Gray in front of the poster for the documentary “Fightville,” which he also produced.
slogan my kids have heard me say before.”
Several of Gray’s four children (ages 22, 20, 19 and 17) also appear in the film, two as extras and one son as the bully with a heart. He said there’s a certain comfort in having your family be part of your work. And though his parents passed before seeing the film become a reality, he knows they would be proud of him creating a movie for all to enjoy.
“The connection of friend to friend, sibling to sibling, parents to child, grandparent and great grandparent to child and coach to player are all so molding and important for our youth,” Gray said. “Exploring a child’s desire to be free, to play, to compete, to improve, to be compassionate and help others to love and be loved are what life is about and what ‘American Summer’ is about; it’s a film for everyone.”
For more about “American Summer” visit americansummermovie.com.
Clockwise from top left: Gray with Lauria and actress Erinn Ruth. Gray with Disney star Mia Talerico, who plays Kelly in “American Summer.” Gray with producer Michael Cuomo and Cullen Moss of “Outerbanks” fame.
Called to Serve
Richard Bierwas is a fixture in the community as a longtime pastor and fire department chaplain. His calm, steady presence brings comfort to the commissioners and department members alike.
Pastor and Ho-Ho-Kus Volunteer Fire Department Chaplain Richard Bierwas didn’t always feel blessed in his career.
Upon graduating from Rutgers University in 1984, he entered the workforce for a brief time as a mortgage appraiser.
“It turns out, I didn’t feel called by God to estimate the market value of property,” Bierwas said, adding, “With all due respect to mortgage appraisers.” And so, he applied through the
BY SARAH NOLAN
Protestant denomination of the Reformed Church of America for a mission position. His journey to becoming a minister led him overseas, then back to the U.S. where he attended to several churches before coming home to Ho-Ho-Kus. In the process, he met his wife and raised three sons.
A fixture in the community with 20 years under his belt as pastor at the Ho-Ho-Kus Community Church and 10 years as fire department chaplain, Bierwas said the congregation is
entering a particularly exciting chapter as it undergoes a merger with Upper Ridgewood Community Church to form a new parish altogether: the Sycamore Community Church.
Through all the twists and turns of life and the many roles he’s taken on, learning to find balance between serving others and taking care of himself, his wife Carol’s words at a particularly hectic point in time have resonated: “What made us think God wasn’t big enough?”
BY JOE
Richard Bierwas, pictured at the pulpit, has served as pastor at the Community Church for 20 years. He’s currently leading the congregation through a transformative time.
Path to Ho-Ho-Kus
Bierwas lived overseas for a short time as a child. His father was a school principal in American Samoa for two years and the pastor said the experience was more influential than he realized.
After meeting his wife at a Sunday School convention at the Newark Marriott (she was the director of youth and education at The First Reformed Church in Pompton Plains at the time, he was a Sunday School teacher at Pompton Reformed Church), he began to feel pulled to serve overseas.
The pair spent the first two years of their marriage in Bahrain, Carol teaching at the mission school and Bierwas as business manager of the family bookshops.
They returned to the U.S. when Carol was expecting their first son, and moved to Holland, Michigan, a more affordable region of the country and an area with many reformed churches. It was there that Bierwas enrolled in the Western Theological Seminary, a community of faith and learning that prepares men and women to become Christian leaders.
Bierwas and his young family returned to New Jersey, where he had his first pastorate as assistant pastor in Wyckoff and then moved on to New York, where he had his first solo pastorate in the
Left: Bierwas and his wife, Carol, on their wedding day.
Below: Bierwas’s sons Josiah, Joel and Gabriel enjoy a snow day as children.
Reformed Church of Shawangunk.
Bierwas threw himself into the position, giving everything he had, particularly after a tragedy occurred in the community.
“Your pastoral radar is on 24/7,” he said. “When there’s a knock at your door or a phone call or text, there’s always a little tiny part of you saying, ‘OK, brace yourself.’ Being my first solo pastorate, I wanted to do a good job. I did a good job at the expense of my health. Ministry doesn’t have to be that way.”
Bierwas said he woke up one morning and saw the steeple of the church through the parsonage window, just across the street.
“The little yellow line going down that country road was never quite high enough to stop me from going into the office,” he said. “I needed to retool.”
He considered leaving the ministry to become a teacher or a nurse. But, as he told his wife: “I can be a minister impersonating a teacher, I can be a minister impersonating a nurse, or I can just be a minister.”
He decided to take an interim ministry position in Liberty, while also juggling responsibilities with the Presbyterian Church, supervising multiple vacant churches. Bierwas said this was a very affirming and demanding time but a good transition.
Top: Bierwas with his sons shortly after they moved to Ho-Ho-Kus. Above: Bierwas’s sons Josiah, Joel and Gabriel during a recent visit home.
Finding balance in his career, Bierwas felt prepared to take over the pastorate in Ho-Ho-Kus and live just next-door to the church (where he still resides).
As Bierwas wraps up his second decade at the congregation, he is one of only three pastors to have served there since 1943. Such long pastorates are unusual for a church, he said, but he feels called to be there, particularly during this transformative time.
Neighboring Upper Ridgewood Community Church was exploring options and potential mergers after their pastor’s recent retirement, and in the end, the Community Church leadership was likeminded in their approach and intention not to form a blended church, but a new church, which will continue to be hosted in the Ho-Ho-Kus chapel on Warren Avenue.
Bierwas said the transition has gone remarkably well and the hope is to be able to “touch people’s lives with the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that is geared towards another generation.”
“Decades ago, in the 1950s and ‘60s, when a new development would be built, they would give a spot in the middle to the church to make it more appealing,” Bierwas said. “That doesn’t exist today. The church must take a different posture and that is the intention of the church.”
In addition to his duties in Ho-Ho-Kus, Bierwas serves part-time as the classis minister, where he is a minister to other
ministers from about 40 churches.
“It is extremely humbling when you think about being chosen by your peers to minister to them,” he said.
Another position that humbles him is that of chaplain of the Ho-Ho-Kus Volunteer Fire Department. The role of the chaplain is to help firefighters and staff during difficult times, as well as celebrate their exciting times.
“There are people in this community who sleep with their pager next to their bed and their clothes laid out so when I clutch my chest at 3 a.m., they’re there,” Bierwas said. “So many people go to sleep and have no clue there are people who will be there at the worst
moment of their life and give their time and training and commitment to help them.”
Bierwas said just being present is key to his role with the department—knowing that he will be there for whatever they need or ask.
Fire Department Chief Don Seltmann said Bierwas’s support is felt and appreciated. He is there when there are difficult situations or calls to provide a spiritual perspective, he said, and for happier times, like parades.
“He’s just a very kind, calm, easygoing presence, and that’s what we lean on,” Seltmann said. “He’s well-known in town and really an honorary member and part of the team.”
Top left: Bierwas outside of the Community Church, now called the Sycamore Community Church.
Come Fly Away With Me
Adventurer, writer and entrepreneur Winnie Atterbury O’Keefe comes from a family of explorers and avid travelers. She has visited all 50 states in the U.S. and extensively toured throughout Europe and Central America.
Now she shares her passion, knowledge and expertise with clients via her agency, Whimsie Luxury Travel, which she runs out of her Ho-Ho-Kus home.
INTERVIEW WITH WINNIE ATTERBURY O’KEEFE
When did you first get the travel bug?
I can’t remember exactly when I got the “travel bug,” but I was a young teenager. When I was 16 years old my parents rented an RV, and all five of us drove across the country staying in National Park and KOA campgrounds. I have vivid memories of driving through the Smoky Mountains early in the morning, watching the mist curl around the peaks and valleys. I loved standing on the four corners of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico and of course, as a teenage girl, seeing the Hollywood sign in L.A. was a highlight.
Q & a
How and when did you decide to use your love of travel to start your own business?
My husband Sean and I have three sons, and in an effort to introduce them to the world beyond Bergen County we traveled a lot. When the boys were younger, we traveled to Utah, Colorado, California, Arizona—always very active vacations. Boys do not sit quietly by the pool. We did things
like hiking, biking, swimming and skiing—anything to tire them out so that they were not strangling one another. As the boys got older, we traveled to Costa Rica, Mexico and Italy. Our travel plans continued to be very detailed, very scheduled. Over time, friends and neighbors asked me for my itineraries. During a family vacation with another family, my friend turned to me and said, “You should really do this for a living.”
O’Keefe at a travel conference at the Baha Mar in the Bahamas.
What are some of the perks of using a travel agent when booking a trip?
When you think about it, planning a trip is time consuming. There is so much information online, oftentimes it’s overwhelming and sometimes travelers wonder what online sources to trust.
As a luxury travel advisor, my goal is to simplify the travel planning process. And with my training and solid travel affiliations, I have vetted and trustworthy travel partners at my fingertips.
Where is your favorite place to travel/what’s an all-time favorite trip you’ve taken?
What did you love about it?
One of my all-time favorite trips that rocked my world was a 10day safari trip to South Africa 18 months ago. It literally blew my mind to quietly drive past a pride of lions, observe a pack of baby hyenas playing, and watch a baby elephant nurse under a marula tree. It was just such a wonderful experience. Since my trip, I have focused on growing my safari business.
Funny story: When I returned from my trip to South Africa, I was amazed by how many women told me that they wanted to go on a safari but knew their husbands would never travel that far. I am now organizing safari trips for women.
What are some of the most popular trips you’re booking for your clients right now?
Most of my clients want to travel to Western Europe. I book many trips to Ireland, Italy, France, Croatia and England.
O’Keefe and her family whale watching on a catamaran in Cabo San Lucas, where they saw many humpbck whales.
A couple of quick tips for readers: What are your tips for traveling with a toddler? How far out should you book a European vacation?
My best tips for traveling with toddlers:
1. Upon liftoff and when descending, give your munchkins a juice box or a bottle of water to help with the pressure change. With that said, a lollipop is also a great way to help with the ear pressure.
2. For longer flights, have a backpack full of goodies and every hour, pull out a treat or coloring book or small toy that they have never seen. One of my favorite books to occupy my kids on planes was Richard Scarry’s Goldbug books—it also helps minimize screen time!
And I recommend planning travel far in advance, it’s really the best way to get great rates and rooms that you want in the city or neighborhood that you desire. I recommend planning a trip to Europe 6-9 months in advance. If there are more than six people traveling, like a multigenerational trip, a solid 12 months is recommended— especially if you want connecting rooms or a villa.
Q & a
For trips to the Caribbean in the winter, I advise planning six months in advance to get the best hotels in prime locations.
Why do you think it’s important for people to travel and see the world outside of their bubble?
The world is vast and varied. Travel is more important than ever—it offers different perspectives and deepens our understanding of how other people and cultures live. I think traveling reminds people that we all share this big old gorgeous world.
Traveling is fantastic, but there’s no place like home. What do you love most about living in Ho-Ho-Kus?
We just celebrated 20 years in our home. We raised our three boys here and have made lifelong friends. We live right behind the Ho-Ho-Kus school in the best trick-or-treating neighborhood EVER!
We had a great experience at the school—our boys received a top-notch education there. My husband and I love to walk to the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn on Friday nights for dinner. The Italian combo on a round roll is my go-to order at Garbo’s—it’s the closest thing I’ve found to a hoagie outside of my hometown, Philadelphia. Lastly, I’m really excited about the library’s move to the center of town—it’s a great little library!
For more about Atterbury O’Keefe, see her website, whimsieluxurytravel.com and her Instagram page @whimsieluxurytravel.
Top: On a trip to Cabo San Lucas two Christmases ago, O’Keefe and her family pose in front of Acre, a restaurant set in the foothills of San Jose del Cabo. Bottom: O’Keefe and a mariachi band in the Mexican Riviera Maya. She said while the beaches are beautiful, the food is delicious and the margaritas are tasty, the highlight of Mexico is the people—so warm and friendly.
Barbie’s Unifying Allure
Tiffany Hogue was immediately drawn to Barbie when she received her first doll as a toddler. She recently displayed her special edition collection at the library, sparking nostalgia that spans generations in her family.
BY SARAH NOLAN
There’s something about Barbie that connects generations of women and girls. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia of childhood wonder and imagination that she recalls, or, to quote the 2023 fantasy comedy film, the idea that “because Barbie can be anything, women can be anything.”
For collector Tiffany Hogue, it’s a little bit of both.
The Ho-Ho-Kus resident found great joy in sharing her Holiday Barbie collection of 36 dolls with the community at Worth-Pinkham Memorial Library in December. (It was even sweeter that the request to display them came from her little sister Morgan Taylor, also a Barbie lover and the library’s director).
An 80s baby, Hogue said she was introduced to Barbie as a toddler, instantly falling in love with the fashion aspect of the doll, endlessly dressing her up and accessorizing her.
The first grandchild on both sides, she
received her first Holiday Barbie from one grandmother, a doll lover herself with a sizeable China doll collection, while her other grandmother, a knitter, would make handmade clothes for the dolls.
Hogue unboxed and played with the first few Holiday Barbies she received, displaying them on the stands they came with. But as she grew older, she began to feel they were too beautiful to take out of their packaging.
Still, her grandmother continued to gift her the special Barbie each year until she passed, then Hogue’s husband continued the tradition.
“I’m incredibly sentimental, and it was nostalgic to take the dolls out and feel that connection with my grandma,” Hogue said. “My favorite is the very first one I remember opening and playing with. She has a white, snowflake-inspired dress, and she is just so pretty. I just loved that whimsy and artistry.”
Hogue shared her love of Barbie with her own daughter, who is now 20, joking that she didn’t really have a choice in the matter.
The collector said she loved the Barbie movie, appreciating that it captured a child’s wonder at their first toy along with a broader message about what it means to be a woman.
“I felt they did a really good job of encapsulating this doll, that we embrace as children, but also represents some of the struggles women deal with that are universal,” Hogue said. “It somehow takes us from that unifying childhood memory to the fact that there are so many messages that come at young women and adults; it’s OK to wear lots of hats and the original message of Barbie was meant to empower young children and help them believe that they can be anything they want to be. But it’s also OK that there are struggles.”
Opposite page, top: Tiffany Hogue with her favorite Holiday Barbie, the first she received from her grandmother. Bottom: Hogue displays one of her dolls. This page, from left: Hogue’s treasured first Holiday Barbie. Hogue, right, with her sister Morgan Taylor, director at Worth-Pinkham Memorial Library.
Start the New Year With a Book
Looking for your next read? Draw inspiration from your neighbors. Worth-Pinkham Memorial Library Director Morgan Taylor provided Ho-Ho-Kus with this list of the top books checked out at Worth-Pinkham Memorial Library in 2024.
BY MORGAN TAYLOR
THE WOMEN
by Kristin Hannah
After hearing the words “Women can be heroes, too,” nursing student Frankie McGrath impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps in 1965 and follows her brother to Vietnam where she is overwhelmed by the destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed and politically divided America.
LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY
by Bonnie Garmus
In the early 1960s, chemist and single mother Elizabeth Zott, the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show due to her revolutionary skills in the kitchen, uses this opportunity to dare women to change the status quo.
THE COVENANT OF WATER
by Abraham Verghese
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, this novel is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning–and in Kerala, water is everywhere.
THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE
by James McBride
It’s 1972 and workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania unearth a human skeleton in the delipidated Chicken Hill neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side. Who the skeleton was and how it got
buried there were just two of the long-held secrets that had been kept for decades by the residents. An unforgettable cast of characters who live on the margins of white, Christian America closely guard an important secret against the town’s white establishment.
TOM LAKE
by Ann Patchett
In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family’s orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationships with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.
THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO
by Taylor Jenkins Reid
When an aging and reclusive Hollywood icon selects an unknown magazine reporter to write her life story, the baffled journalist forges deep ties with the actress during a complicated interview process that exposes their tragic common history.
IT ENDS WITH US
by Colleen Hoover
After building what should be a perfect life with neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, Lily finds herself in a troubled relationship with an
abusive husband and must make a decision about her future, as she reencounters Atlas Corrigan, a man with links to her past.
THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides
Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist, is determined to get an artist who shot her husband and then never spoke another word, which takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations–a search for the truth that threatens to consume him.
ATOMIC HABITS
by James Clear
This book offers practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW
by Gabrielle Zevin
This novel follows the relationship between Sadie and Samson, two friends united by a love of video games. The plot spans 30 years and takes the reader from Cambridge, Massachusetts to Venice Beach, California and lands in between and far beyond. This is a dazzling and intricately imagined story that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.
The
Era
Cake Bliss celebrates the (bittersweet) end of icon Taylor Swift’s long running “The Eras Tour” with these custom cookies. Karina Ferrales runs the bakery out of her Ho-Ho-Kus kitchen creating cakes, cookies, cupcakes and pastries for all occasions. (Look for the shop to be featured in an upcoming issue!)
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